The Learning Experience Of Newtown Hopes To Grant A ‘Wish’

The Learning Experience (TLE) of Newtown students and staff stood outside its South Main Street building on Tuesday, May 7, with some of the pinwheels that have been put on display as part of a fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The Learning Experience (TLE) of Newtown has been fundraising through different efforts since September to help fund a wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The effort started at the corporate level of TLE, and the Newtown center pledged to grant a wish by the end of this school year. If TLE of Newtown can raise enough to grant one wish, a minimum of $5,000 to $6,000, corporate TLE will match the donation, “which means two children will be granted a wish in Connecticut,” explained TLE of Newtown owner and operator Danielle Van Riper this week.

TLE of Newtown has held several fundraisers since September to help raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Its latest campaign is called “Pinwheels for Wishes,” and it is running through the end of May.

TLE of Newtown donated $10 and one pinwheel for each child at its school, to be displayed on the lawn outside its South Main Street location. Families of TLE students were also asked to match the donation for the campaign.

Community members are also welcome to stop by to make a $10 donation to the fundraising effort, and will be given a pinwheel to display for the donation.

Along with the efforts to fundraise for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Ms Van Riper said TLE also added a new curriculum in January which focuses on philanthropy. Concepts like donating, giving, and sponsoring have become part of that curriculum, and newly created characters — like Charity the Chihuahua and Grace the Greyhound — help share the importance of the concepts.

Ms Van Riper said the fundraiser is a nice way to give back to the community, and, if TLE of Newtown reaches its goal, she hopes the school community can meet the child or children who benefit from the fundraising efforts.